All the latest Giants news from MLB.com beat writer Chris Haft.

Giants might be eyeing OF Ludwick, or vice-versa

Monday, Dec. 5

DALLAS — Add Ryan Ludwick to the list of free-agent outfielders who might intrigue the Giants.

The Giants were believed to have scheduled a meeting Monday with Ludwick’s agent, Dan Horwits. Ludwick earned $6.775 million last season but might be more affordable than that this winter, even on the open market.

A right-handed batter, Ludwick thrived in 2008-09, when he hit .283 with 59 home runs and 210 RBIs for St. Louis. When the Cardinals sent him to San Diego at the 2010 Trade Deadline, Ludwick remained productive, as he was batting .281 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs in 77 games at the time.

Since that deal, however, Ludwick has hit .229 with 19 homers and 101 RBIs in 198 games for San Diego and Pittsburgh. He batted .237 with 13 homers and 75 RBIs overall last season. The 33-year-old’s on-base percentage has dwindled each year since 2008, from .375 to .329 to .325 to .310. His slugging percentage also has declined annually, from .591 in 2008 to .447 to .418 to .363.

Ludwick has performed adequately at AT&T Park, where he owns a .265 batting average (22-for-83) in 23 games. His total of five home runs in 83 at-bats by the bay indicates that, unlike many hitters, the ballpark’s dimensions don’t intimidate him.

Other free-agent outfielders to whom the Giants have been linked include Coco Crisp and Josh Willingham. They also were thought to be interested in David DeJesus before the A’s traded him to the Cubs, and in Grady Sizemore before he re-signed with Cleveland.

Given the dramatic drip off in Ludwig’s numbers during the last year and a half, playing Belt would be better. At least he has a high upside if he gets a chance to play, while Ludwig is waning big time. If the Giants want a difference maker in their park, they should get Crisp with his base stealing ability, even if his OBP is low. He shouldn’t cost nearly as much as Ludwig for that reason. If he does, the Giants should go with Belt.

Are you giving up on Nate Scheirholtz? The team has a lot invested in him, the cover ground and plays right better than anyone on the team, has a cannon for an arm AND his offensive numbers, up until he was hurt, had moved him up behind Pablo as the second most productive on the team. Had he stayed healthy and on the same pace, he would have been a permanent fixture and with Beltran, Pablo and Nate, the voids would have been less painful.

I know I am making a few assumptions about his ability to have maintained his offensive production, but he has progressed each year and his attributes, with regular starts, should improve more. At the very least he should be batting in the 6 spot, and if Belt can beat out Huff (who should have been rewarded for the WS, but not with a “best of his career” contract for one too many years) then Belt can start at 1st and bat 7th, until he proves that he should be lower in the order, with Crawford in the 8th spot.

If anything I’ve written implies that I’ve given up on Nate, shame on me, because I haven’t. Each year I keep believing that his “breakout” year has arrived, and I still believe that he can be a productive everyday player.

I laid out all the numbers so you, dear reader, so you could pass judgment. Which you did quite nicely. As Brian Sabean explained later, they talk to a lot of players; they don’t necessarily negotiate with all of them.

Chris, I understand that this team does not want to get into a bidding war shootout for top level players, although I think that they really need at least one everyday star in the lineup, but why keep looking at fading mediocre players who are already in decline? We have seen enough of Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Tejadas and Aaron Rowands for a lifetime, how many more does Sabean want to court? The old adage that “you get what you pay for” means that the Giants will always have a mediocre batting order as long as Sabean settles for other teams castoffs.

I’m not defending the organization, just pointing out that Rowand was coming off his best year when SF signed him. At the time it looked like they were overpaying him but didn’t seem like a bad deal. You’re right; the worst decisions the Giants have made tend to involve free agents.

this idea is in the right place half-baked ideas they just forgot to add the rest of the giants front office moves this offseason with it wish we could get owners like the 49ers an warriors have who are willing to spend money for the fans

has anyone heard from Noah Lowry? Is he pitching overseas? retired?
any chance of him getting a non-roster invite? I know he wasnt happy when the Giants didnt tender him an offer after his injury, but he was still a dominate pitcher.

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